If for some reason you found yourself living in Washington as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life you might possibly remember a little something about it, for Washington is a portable snack.

Monday, December 18, 2006

Street Cleaning Holiday

This month, DC announced that they were suspending street cleaning for the winter. Which, of course, begs the question, DC cleans the streets? I’ve seen the signs announcing “street cleaning day”, but I always assumed “street cleaning day” was a vestigial holiday with mythological roots, whose origin is lost to the mists of time, a meaningless day that no one pays much attention to. Kind of like Ground Hog Day. Or Election Day.

I’ve never seen anyone in DC livery cleaning the streets in our neighborhood. But, like most ancient traditions, certain rituals are carried on, even after they have lost any connection with reality; in this case, DC still writes tickets for parking on the wrong side of the street on “street cleaning day,” and they still announce when they suspend and resume street cleaning.

Some day, these rituals will die out, too, just like the day-long massacre of ground hogs on Ground Hog Day. And hopefully, someday, “street cleaning day” will be tossed on the ash-heap of history, like the ancient Hanseatic “Baby Eating Festival” of yore, that no one hears much about any more.

This is several years ago, have you ever experienced a street cleaning day since this? Maybe you and your neighborhood could start a tradition of a “street cleaning day”? At least to call the attention of cleaning authorities to do what supposed to be, is their job. Rudy @ Haaker.com